The Legends Aren't Always True
by stephfarrow94
Summary: Grimmjow is a demon, and collapses in Ukitake's backyard, injured. Ukitake finds him and helps him, despite his fear of demons. While Grimmjow knows that Ukitake is meant to be his partner, Jushiro feels otherwise. GrimmUki yaoi request fic.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This is another request for GrimmjowUkitakeUlquiorra :) I hope you enjoy it.**

Ukitake Jūshirō was a light sleeper, and he was startled out of sleep easily, so it wasn't surprising that he jolted awake with a loud scream as he heard the bins being knocked over with a loud clang from the backyard of his home.

The white-haired man whimpered and pulled his blankets over him like a petty shield of sorts, but he knew he had to go and investigate; there could have been an injured animal or something out there.

Jūshirō slowly got out of his bed, his pale hands trembling as he let go of his shield. He walked through the house slowly, really not wanting to do this but knowing he had to be brave and stop letting other people do everything for him.

The door to the backyard creaked open slowly and Jūshirō poked his head out. There didn't seem to be any axe-wielding maniacs in sight...

But there was someone lying by the side of the house, unmoving.

Jūshirō gasped and ran towards the blue-haired figure, all worries of some psycho out there targeting him forgotten; all that mattered was making sure that this person was okay.

"Excuse me..." Jūshirō shook the male, taking in his appearance. He had blue hair that was spiked and small strands hung down in his face. He wasn't wearing a shirt and his body was muscular. The man was still, not responding to Jūshirō's words or actions.

Ukitake glanced around him, not sure what had happened; there didn't seem to be any injuries on him that he could see except for one large gaping wound in the man's stomach which was bleeding profusely. However, when one eye flickered open briefly, revealing black irises, he understood immediately what he was dealing with; a demon.

Jūshirō bit his lip as he slipped his arms under the man's body, lifting him into his arms. He was afraid, having heard horrible things about demons, despite the common belief that they were extinct. Either way, the demon was injured and the white-haired male _couldn't _leave him out here.

Ukitake had a weak body due to his Tuberculosis so it wasn't an easy task carrying a fully grown man into his house, but Jūshirō persevered and eventually laid the blue-haired male down on the couch.

Silently, the skinny man left the living room and headed to the bathroom, returning with bandages and other medical items in hand.

Jūshirō worked diligently as he cleaned the demon's wounds and bandaged him up and, before the pale man knew it, he was carrying his guest into the bedroom, intent on putting him into his bed.

With the red coloured duvet pulled up to the injured man's chin, Jūshirō couldn't help but smile, glad that he had helped the other despite his fear. He crept out of his own bedroom and back into the living room, lying down on the couch.

The man couldn't sleep well, knowing that he had a demon in his bed, but the recesses of sleep eventually claimed him, pulling him into oblivion.


	2. Chapter 2

When the demon's eyes opened the next morning, the first thing he noticed was that he was in a room he had no recollection of. He glanced around, seeing that the walls were made of wood and barren of any decoration. There was a wardrobe tucked away in a corner and the bed he was sleeping on was a double with a red duvet. An open doorway lead to what the demon assumed was a bathroom, and the only other door in the room was closed.

The blue-haired male got to his feet and staggered slowly towards the door. His legs felt numb and his stomach was aching, but he could see the bandages around his wound. Someone had clearly helped him, most likely the same one who had put him in this room.

The door creaked open and the demon frowned; great way to announce his presence... He'd rather just kill whoever lived here and move on without a fuss.

The door opened into a small hallway. A few more doors branched off on the wooden walls which lead to a large window at the end. The left end of the hallway lead into an open area, the tiles under his feet changing into more floorboards.

Silently, like a cat, the demon crept to the open area, looking around. It was a living room. There was a small TV set tucked away in one of the corners, a small couch out in the middle of the room. There was a bookcase against the wall opposite of the TV, blocking another large window that took up a large amount of wall.

In the back of the room was a small dining area, a little table with two chairs seated in the centre of the room.

The demon looked at the couch, sensing small breaths. He looked, noticing the lanky human spread out on it, its white hair splayed all over the place. It was turned on its side, facing the back of the couch, so the demon was having trouble working out its gender, though judging by its tall size, it must have been a man.

The blue-haired male raised his hand, a small black orb of dark energy twirling around in the palm of his hand. He approached the human, ready to drive the energy orb through the human's head and leave.

"Mmm..."

The demon stopped, the dark energy disappearing when the human rolled over. His eyes widened at what he was seeing. The human was a male; he had long white hair and black eyebrows. His cheeks were slightly sunken in on a pale face, giving the demon the impression that he must be skinnier than he appeared to be in the baggy pyjamas he wore. His eyelashes were long, and he caused a feeling in the demon's heart he had never felt before; this human was his _partner._

When the human's eyes fluttered open slowly, they revealed bright green orbs that were hazy and confused from sleep. They looked around the room slowly for a few seconds before they fixed on the demon and then flinched.

The human sat up, his back rigid. He didn't meet eyes with the demon and instead looked down at his feet. The supernatural being could sense the fear wafting from the pale man, and he couldn't help but laugh.

"You the human who helped me?" the demon asked in a cocky voice. There was a lopsided grin on his face as he awaited the human's answer.

The white-haired man nodded, trembling slightly as he played with his hands. He glanced down at the floor beneath them, afraid that the blue-haired male was going to hurt him.

"What's your name?" the demon questioned. He stepped closer, his grin widening as the human pushed back against the couch.

"...J-jushiro..." The human gulped, his bright green eyes shining with fear.

"Jūshirō, huh? Well, I'm Grimmjow. But what possessed ya to wanna save me?"

Jūshirō bit his lip. "...I-I... You were hurt..." he whispered. "...I couldn't just leave you there..."

The demon – Grimmjow – laughed. "Were you even aware of the fact that you were helping a _demon _last night?"

Jūshirō nodded. "Y-yes..."

"But you still helped me?"

Jūshirō nodded again, his fidgeting increasing. "Like I said... You were hurt..."

Grimmjow's teeth were bared as he grinned uncontrollably. He sat on the couch next to Jūshirō, amused greatly by the way the man's breathing hitched and he tried to move away.

"What's wrong?" Grimmjow couldn't help but tease. "Are you afraid of me?"

Jūshirō nodded, too afraid to move in case Grimmjow chased after him; he was certain that he wouldn't be able to get too far before he was caught.

"Ya must'a heard all that shit about demons and the like, then, huh?" Grimmjow questioned as if they were discussing the weather. "I heard the majority of humans believe we are extinct. That's not true; there's not a lot of us left, but we aren't extinct."

"W-why haven't you killed me yet...?" Jūshirō whimpered as tears welled up in his eyes.

Grimmjow shrugged. "Why would I want ta kill ya, Jūshirō? You're just _so much fun, _I want to take my time playing with you."

"Oh, dear..." Jūshirō looked down at his lap and scrunched his eyes shut, certain for sure that meant he was going to be tortured before his death.

"So what are we doin' for the day, anyway?" Grimmjow asked in a nonchalant tone.

Jūshirō didn't miss the 'we' Grimmjow had used, and he shivered; the demon was serious about this, wasn't he...? "...I-I..." Ukitake found himself whispering, "...need to d-do the food shopping..."

"Sounds fucking boring." Grimmjow scrunched his nose up in distaste before he shrugged. "Why not? I'll learn more about humans and the ways of their fuckin' boring lives."

Jūshirō didn't know what to say. He wanted to ask Grimmjow to stop cussing, but he was afraid the demon would hurt him. He wanted to tell the blue-haired male that he hadn't been asked to stay here and he was free to leave, but surely the demon would take that as _oh, please kill me now_.

Jūshirō sighed. Why did I leave...? I-I was so much safer living with Shunsui...

_**~~Time skip~~**_

"How the fuck can you stand doin' that shit all the time?" Grimmjow growled as he followed Jūshirō back into the house after having done the groceries. "Fuckin' boring as shit!"

Jūshirō was on edge. He was frightened and upset, and he was too scared to go to any of his friends in case he got them hurt. Besides; who would believe him? The only proof he had of Grimmjow being a demon was his black irises but, as he had just found out, the demon was able to change his eyes to a human appearance, instead making them a light blue instead of the black that unnerved Jūshirō every time he saw them.

"I-I..." Jūshirō struggled to reply, expecting the demon to attack him at any second. "...I got used to it, I suppose..."

"Must be one of those things fuckers indoctrinate their kids before they can question it, the sick bastards..." Grimmjow muttered to himself, clearly deep in thought.

Jūshirō, though he wasn't happy to do it, turned his back to the blue-haired man as he started putting his purchases away in the pantry. He was afraid to let the other male out of his sight but so far, nothing bad had happened except for all the cursing.

Just as the white-haired man straightened up from having bent over, placing items on a lower shelf, he turned around, only to discover that Grimmjow had snuck up silently and was standing just inches behind him. He whimpered and jumped back, gasping in pain as his back slammed into the shelves.

"You shouldn't tempt me, Jūshirō." Grimmjow smirked. "Not unless you want your ass to remain in one piece."

Jūshirō's breathing was harsh as he pressed further into the shelves. He tried to hold back tears at these words, certain that Grimmjow was going to rape him before killing him.

Grimmjow just laughed at his reaction, speaking as if he had read Ukitake's mind. "Relax. I ain't gonna rape ya or nothing, Jūshirō. I ain't that cruel."

Jūshirō raised a hand, holding it to his eyes as he inhaled sharply. He let out a single sob as he nodded, pushing his way past Grimmjow and heading towards the hallway where his bedroom was. He closed the door behind him and curled up on his bed, his face resting in the soft fabric of his pillow.

_H-he... _Jūshirō thought as he tried to control his tears ... _he's going to rape me... Just like how Sōsuke tried... _

Ukitake was terrified. He had heard the stories about demons and what they did; about how they'd torture you mercilessly before finally ending your life, how they took what they wanted no matter what the consequence, but he had still chosen to save that demon and now he was going to pay for it.

Jūshirō knew that no matter what he did, he couldn't escape from Grimmjow. The demon would find him and do whatever it was he was planning, and he would die in a horrible way. But what hurt him the most was that he couldn't go to _anyone _about this or else he'd only be putting them in danger, too.

The white-haired man was relieved that Grimmjow didn't come in and bother him, and he eventually cried himself into a fitful sleep.

**-XX-**

When Ukitake awoke a few hours later, he stumbled out of his bedroom and into the living room, surprised to find Grimmjow sitting on the couch with a book in hand.

"You read...?" Jūshirō whispered, not knowing how else to break the uneasy silence.

Grimmjow shrugged. "Ya live as long as I have, and you learn to appreciate a good book or two every once in a while."

Jūshirō nodded and looked around, feeling awkward in his own home. He didn't want to sit near Grimmjow, but he didn't have any other seats in the house apart from the two chairs at the dining table.

As if sensing the younger's dilemma, Grimmjow shifted his position so that he was resting against the arm-rest. "Sit the fuck down."

Jūshirō flinched before taking the demon's advice, not wanting to give him reason to get angry with him. He stared down at his lap in silence, not knowing what to do. Was Grimmjow ever going to leave him alone...? Or was he only going to leave once he had taken what he wanted?

Ukitake hadn't felt as uneasy as he did right now in a long time; not since he had broken up with his abusive partner. Grimmjow didn't pay him much heed, focused on the book in his hand. He only noticed when the white-haired human started slumping against him, asleep once again.

Grimmjow's expression didn't change from its bored look and his eyes didn't leave his page once as he moved so that Jūshirō's head was resting on his lap. He ran a hand briefly through the silky white hair, but his features didn't soften or acknowledge anything other than boredom.

The two remained like that for a while until the demon finished his book. He stood up, Jūshirō's head slipping from his lap but the man didn't wake up. Placing the book back in the bookshelf, he moved to look around the house, leaving Jūshirō to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

When Jūshirō's eyes opened again later in the afternoon, his heart pounded with the hope that Grimmjow was gone, seeing as the demon was nowhere in sight. He sat up and stood on shaking legs as he moved to scout around the house.

While the demon was nowhere to be found in any of the main rooms such as the living room or kitchen, that was because Grimmjow was currently occupying Ukitake's bedroom, searching through everything he could find.

When Grimmjow pulled a box out from underneath his bed, Jūshirō gasped, making the demon smirk.

"What have ya got in here?" Grimmjow taunted as he pulled open the box slowly, teasing his host. "Hiding porn from me, are you?"

"P-please, no..." Jūshirō whimpered, begging the blue-haired male to leave the box alone. "Anything but that..."

"So there _is _porn in here!" Grimmjow laughed, looking down into the box he had opened. He smirked as he reached in, pulling out a magazine. The cover on the front depicted two naked males, only making Grimmjow's smirk widen. "I never took you for one to have porn. Do you like to lie in bed at night and read these? Is that how you get off?"

When Jūshirō's breathing became unsteady due to fear, Grimmjow was sure that there was more to this box than the white-haired man was letting on. Dropping the magazine, he dug deeper, surfacing several photos and what looked like important documents.

Grimmjow didn't get much time to look at them as he was forced to put his attention onto the human who was now coughing up blood. He stood awkwardly by Jūshirō's side, not knowing what to do. He sat down on the floor when the younger male was brought to his knees, but he didn't make any effort to touch him or try and help; he just sat there and watched.

When at last, after what felt like forever, Jūshirō had finally stopped coughing, a look of utter despair crossed his blood-splattered face. He dropped his gaze down to his lap and through harsh pants, spoke.

"Please..." Jūshirō sounded defeated. "...Please, don't open that box... M-my best friend put all that stuff in there for a reason..."

Grimmjow just shrugged, deciding that he would go through the box's content later when Jūshirō wasn't around. "Feelin' alright?"

Ukitake nodded. "Yes... J-just had an attack..."

"So you're sick?"

Jūshirō nodded again. He instinctively prepared himself for Grimmjow's disgust, having grown used to being unaccepted because he coughed up blood. He knew he didn't want the demon here, but it would still hurt if he left because of how disgusting Jūshirō was.

Grimmjow laughed, causing fresh tears to roll down pale cheeks. He reached out and grabbed Jūshirō's chin, turning the man's face to his. He studied Ukitake carefully with curiosity in his eyes.

"What's wrong with you?" Grimmjow asked. No matter how hard Jūshirō searched for it, there was no hint of repugnance or hatred anywhere on Grimmjow's features.

"...I..." Jūshirō sighed as he reached up to wipe at his eyes. "...I was born with Tuberculosis..."

Again, Grimmjow showed no repulsion as he stared into the fearful green eyes before him. "Interesting. But enough about that; I want to know what was with the box."

Jūshirō shook his head. He wrapped his arms around him, looking frightened again. "...I don't want to talk about it..."

Grimmjow shrugged. "Fine. But I'm not going to fucking give up on finding out what's with it, ya know?"

Jūshirō nodded. He stood up and walked out of the room, leaving the demon behind. He moved into the bathroom and washed his face, cleansing himself from all the blood. He wanted to change his clothes because it felt dirty to him to wear the same outfit after an attack, but he didn't want to change with Grimmjow around.

Heading to the kitchen now, Jūshirō grabbed an apple from the counter and sat down at the dining table, chewing slowly. He couldn't help but remember what had happened with that box and now, all he could think about was the reason it was even there to begin with.

_Grimmjow will surely leave when he knows how impure I am..._ Jūshirō thought to himself, trying not to cry. _I didn't want that box to begin with, but Shunsui insisted... He doesn't understand how painful it is to have constant reminders of what once was... It's too painful to bear... All it does is make me remember when I wasn't so afraid of everyone... _

"Jūshirō~"

Jūshirō snapped out of his thoughts at Grimmjow's voice. He turned around in his chair to find the demon standing right behind him. He flinched and looked down.

"You were really fuckin' zoned out," Grimmjow said. "I've been here for a while and you've taken no notice. What the fuck could you have been thinking about that requires so much damn concentration?"

"..." Jūshirō bit his lip. "...I was thinking about... things..."

"No shit." Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "Get your ass up. I hate being cooped in. I want to see the fucking town."

Jūshirō tensed before he shook his head. "Please... I-I don't go out much unless I need to..."

Grimmjow laughed. "You pussy. C'mon, get up, hot stuff."

Jūshirō pretended not to hear those words as he remained sitting. He was quickly brought to his feet with a loud squeal, however, when a hand grabbed his ass.

Grimmjow laughed again, his black eyes shining with glee. "You're so fucking fun to tease, Jūshirō. But if you don't want to, I guess I'll just force you later."

"O-okay..." Jūshirō mumbled, not sure what to make of these words but not wanting to question them. He stood awkwardly before Grimmjow, not knowing what to do. What _could _he do? The demon kept following him _everywhere._

Grimmjow slinked away to the living room and stared at the TV set. He eyed it in curiosity before turning back to Jūshirō. "What the fuck is this?"

Jūshirō hesitantly stepped closer and grabbed the remote. He turned the TV on and explained what it was in a quite tone. He flicked through the channels in a bored manner before Grimmjow quite rudely told him to stop on a documentary about panthers.

Jūshirō didn't query about this unexpected turn of events and instead left the room, knowing that the blue-haired man was occupied. He went to his room and kicked the box back underneath the bed, not wanting to touch it with his hands or look at it for any longer than he had to.

Ukitake grabbed his phone from his bedside table and unlocked it. His fingers tapped absentmindedly at the keys before he decided to go through with what he was thinking. He opened the contacts and clicked his best friend's name before he started writing a quick message to the older male.

_I think I've done something stupid, _Jūshirō typed. _You won't believe me, though._

The reply came within seconds as expected and Jūshirō could still pick up on the worried tone of his best friend's words. _What happened? Do I need to kill someone? Are you okay? I'll come over._

_Please, don't come over. _Jūshirō was killing himself to say no to this offer; he wanted nothing more than his best friend's arms around him to reassure him that everything was safe. _I just need to talk to you. Do you think I'm stupid for having saved someone I don't know that was injured?_

Again, as expected, the phone rang almost instantly, his friend's worry too great to settle for texting. Jūshirō answered the call, speaking in a hushed voice. "S-shunsui...?"

"What's going on?" the voice on the other end of the line sounded deeply panicked. "Is someone hurting you? Are you okay?"

Jūshirō stopped himself from admitting everything that was happening and instead tried to sugercoat the truth. "I... found someone injured in my yard... I helped them, but... T-they won't leave..."

"I'm coming over," the other male said. "I don't care what you think; I'll be there soon."

Jūshirō choked on a sob before he nodded. "O-okay..."

With that said, Jūshirō hung the phone up and curled into his bed. Why was everything so hard for him lately?

**-XX-**

Just moments before Jūshirō's friend could arrive, Ukitake made his way over to Grimmjow and reluctantly told him what he had done, not wanting anyone to get hurt. He was in tears and he was terrified but he was hoping that if Grimmjow at least knew that his cover hadn't been blown, he would calm down.

Grimmjow just smirked and shrugged when Jūshirō finished talking. "Why would I care? He's not gonna scare me the fuck away."

"Please..." Jūshirō whimpered, bowing his head in submission. "...Please, if you have to kill someone, please, let it be me... Please, don't hurt my friend..."

Grimmjow laughed again in that cold, spine-chilling manner he was so fond of. "Why would I kill either of you? This is going to be interesting."

Jūshirō hated himself for what he had done, but he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. He was just glad that the demon had changed his irises back to the blue he had seen before.

When at last the front door was unlocked and a brunet male stormed in, Jūshirō curled up on the couch, expecting the worst.

"I believe he has asked you to leave."

Jūshirō flinched at his best friend's cold voice directed solely towards his uninvited guest. He looked up, finding Kyōraku Shunsui standing before Grimmjow, his usually calm and happy demeanour as cold as ice.

The demon smirked. "Oh, really? If I didn't leave when he asked me to, what makes you think I'm going to leave because _you _ask me to?"

"I'll force you out if I have to." Jūshirō knew that Shunsui wasn't joking.

"S-shun, please..." Jūshirō whimpered, his face red with stress. "Please, just... Just don't... He can stay if he wants to... I-I really don't mind..."

A triumphant smirk crossed Grimmjow's face as the brunet's contorted in frustration.

"He's _not _staying here," Shunsui said to the younger. "You don't even _know _him."

"He said I could stay," the demon mocked. "He's authority over yours, dickhead."

Shunsui's eye twitched before he moved to his distressed friend. He wrapped his arm around the younger's shoulder and whispered to him.

"What's he been doing?" Shunsui asked, ignoring the way Grimmjow glared daggers at him. "Has he hurt you?"

Jūshirō shook his head. "He just... makes me uncomfortable... But he hasn't hurt me..."

Shunsui sighed. He squeezed his friend before he turned back to the blue-haired male. He moved closer until he was pinning Grimmjow against the couch. "If you so much as lay a finger on him, I'll kill you."

Grimmjow just laughed hysterically, prompting Shunsui to return back to Jūshirō's side. He found this all too amusing; a _human? _Thinking he could kill a _demon?_

"Shunsui, please..." Jūshirō whispered. "Just... s-stop..."

Shunsui nodded, knowing better than to go against his best friend's wishes. "If he hurts you, I don't care what you say..."

Jūshirō nodded. He snuggled in closer to Shunsui, eyeing the demon warily. Grimmjow was watching them with such amusement, it sent chills down his spine. He buried his face into Shunsui's chest, just wanting this nightmare to be over.

The three stayed like this for quite a while until a text came through on Shunsui's phone. He glanced at it before he sighed and sat Jūshirō up.

"I have to go," Shunsui said softly. "I'll see you tomorrow. Let me know if anything happens, okay?"

Jūshirō nodded. A crestfallen expression was on his face as he reluctantly let go to Shunsui so that the older male could leave.

Grimmjow immediately filled the space Shunsui had recently vacated and sidled closer to the pale-haired man.

"How's it goin', baby?" Grimmjow smirked. "Miss me?"

Jūshirō shook his head and pulled his knees up to his chest. "N-no..."

"He's funny, that one," Grimmjow said. "Thinks he'll kill me if I touch ya? I'd only touch you with your permission, of course, so it'll be easier if you just say yes and let me have my way with ya."

Jūshirō shivered and looked away. "I-I... Please, stop saying things like that..."

"But it's so fun when you're scared," Grimmjow teased. He reached out and put his hand on Jūshirō's crotch. He laughed as the human pushed away and curled into a ball before he stood up and left to wander the house some more, leaving Jūshirō to his own devices.


	4. Chapter 4

Two days had passed since Grimmjow decided he wasn't going to leave Ukitake's home. The demon was currently sitting on the couch, watching the TV as he wondered what on earth Jūshirō could be doing outside. He stood up and made his way over to the front door, looking out. The pale man was sitting in the garden, holding something in his arms.

"What the fuck is that?" Grimmjow called as he made his way over to the human. He ignored the flinch he was greeted with and leant over the younger's shoulder to see what Jūshirō had. A tiny lump of white fur meowed up at him, small enough to fit into the palm of his hand. "Why the hell do you have a cat?"

"...I found her..." Jūshirō whispered, tensing as he held the cat against his chest. "...I-I was trimming my bonsai plants and she wandered over to me..."

Grimmjow sat down beside the human and took the cat. He raised it to his face, looking at it curiously. The kitten's tongue poked out and licked him, causing him to smirk and hand the cat back. "Keep it."

Jūshirō nodded. "I-I am... I need to get food for her, though..."

"No way am I going back to that fucking slow-ass boring shithole," Grimmjow said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "That was the worst experience of my life."

Jūshirō's heart started to pound; maybe now he could get away from the demon for a bit. "You can stay here..."

"Nope." Grimmjow's tone of voice was serious, making Jūshirō's wish for some alone time to shatter. "I'm comin' with ya."

Jūshirō nodded, a disappointed expression on his face. "...Okay..."

Ukitake stood up, holding the purring kitten close to him as he walked back into the house with the demon behind him. He put the baby animal on his bed, smiling softly at the way it curled into the sheets. He moved to the kitchen and put some water in a bowl before he placed it by the bed.

Grimmjow had watched all of this without a word. He could see the way the human was so loving and gentle with a baby creature he had just found. It was a huge contrast to the majority of humans he had the displeasure of dealing with.

"Let's go..." Jūshirō said, his happiness gone and replaced by the uneasiness Grimmjow had grown accustomed to.

Grimmjow followed behind, but not without first grabbing the man's ass. He laughed at the way Jūshirō jumped and spun around with wide eyes before the human continued on in a hurried pace as if to put distance between them.

The walk to the shopping district had been eventful; Grimmjow was bored and loved torturing Jūshirō mercilessly with sexual advances. The way Ukitake reacted every single time was some of the best amusement he'd had in a long time.

When at last they arrived at the district, they walked into the shopping centre that contained a supermarket, pet shops and stores such as clothing and books. Jūshirō hated that despite it being a huge building with everything it contained, the supermarket was right at the back of the shopping centre. It made him have to walk through many crowds, and he hated the way people would stop and stare at him, point and mutter under their breaths. Some people were bold enough to approach him which made things worse for Ukitake, but the worst thing was that there was always the chance that he could run into the person responsible for his face and name being known all over the town.

Grimmjow wasn't oblivious to the way Jūshirō walked with his head down, trying to avoid as many people as possible. He had noticed this the other day when they were doing the groceries, as well as the way the pale man's mere appearance stopped entire conversations and made room for ones about him.

The demon couldn't say he was not curious; he was desperate to know what Jūshirō was hiding. He wondered if it had anything to do with the box he had found before he decided he would have to get to the bottom of things as soon as he could. It wasn't that he was worried about Jūshirō – if he were worried, he wouldn't 'play' with him as much as he did – it was just that he _hated _not knowing things.

"Ne, Jūshirō?" Grimmjow called as he followed behind lazily. Jūshirō turned his head just enough to look at the demon through the corner of his eyes, not brave enough to lift his face. "Why does everyone act like you're a fuckin' celebrity?"

Jūshirō shrugged. "...I... I-I don't know..."

That was a lie; Grimmjow knew. So there was definitely something being hidden from him. The blue-haired male smirked; it sure would be fun to find out what was going on.

**-XX-**

Their journey to the supermarket had been eventful. A few people had bailed Jūshirō up, asking the man things that the demon didn't understand the meaning behind. He had no idea what was being said, but he knew it was upsetting Jūshirō more than any of his advances had.

Grimmjow had growled and narrowed his eyes; he didn't like that someone _besides _himself was hurting_ his _Jūshirō – only _he _could bother Ukitake like this! He had pushed the males away, throwing colourful words at them, before he pulled the white-haired man along behind him.

They were currently at the check-out, placing cat food on the counter along with a few cat toys and other necessary requirements for the kitten. Jūshirō's head was ducked, hiding behind his long white bangs.

The woman at the counter scanned everything in a calm manner, looking curiously at Jūshirō every now and then. Grimmjow stood protectively behind the timid man, ready to crack skulls together if need be.

When Jūshirō handed over the money to pay for his purchases, he gathered the bags in his arms and left silently without his change. Grimmjow grabbed the money before he chased after the younger one.

Not a word was said between them until they were almost at the exit to the building – but then again, it was more screaming on Jūshirō's part and confused shouts for everyone to leave them alone for Grimmjow.

They had almost reached the automatic doors before Jūshirō stopped walking, a look of horror on his face. His eyes were wide and his mouth was opened, his body begin to quiver.

"Jūshirō?" Grimmjow asked, confused greatly. There was a brunet sitting on a bench, looking at them, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. "Jūshirō, are you okay?"

Jūshirō fell to his knees and grabbed his hair, crying as he ripped at the strands. He tried to shake away Grimmjow's touch and eventually fell into a panic attack.

Grimmjow was worried. He didn't know what had brought this on or what to do. People were surrounding them, mutters between them all, but not one person bothered to help.

"Jūshirō, calm down!" Grimmjow growled, aggravated by the assholes who just wanted entertainment. He turned back to them, getting to his feet. "All of you, fuck the hell off or I'll rip you to pieces!"

People stepped back as a sense of foreboding filled the air, but none of them pinpointed it to Grimmjow. They scattered as Grimmjow took a step towards them, knowing that the blue-haired man wasn't messing around.

Jūshirō had eventually passed out from hyperventilation, leaving Grimmjow to hang the bags from his arms and pick Ukitake up to carry him home. The demon sighed and gathered his feather-light body in his arms. He walked past the brunet who was still sitting where he was with a calm smile on his face. They locked gazes for a few seconds, Grimmjow staring into brown eyes shielded by glasses.

The demon didn't think too much on this and continued carrying Jūshirō home, missing the way the man's relaxed smile turned into a menacing smirk.

**-XX-**

When Jūshirō's eyes opened later, he was confused to find himself back in his bed. He sat up, wanting to know what had happened. Grimmjow wasn't anywhere in sight, but the kitten he had adopted had been curled up against him, now awake since its sleep was disturbed.

Jūshirō trembled slightly as he picked the kitten up and held it to his chest. He allowed a small smile to cross his lips as he felt relaxed by its presence.

"I'm sure you'll never hurt me," Jūshirō whispered as he swung his legs over the bed and stood up.

The pale-haired man moved to the hallway and looked for Grimmjow, certain that he would be in the living room. He found the demon sitting on the couch, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Grimmjow...?" Jūshirō called softly as he padded over to the couch. He looked away when light blue eyes settled on him. "...Did... D-did anything happen to me... when I passed out...?"

Grimmjow shook his head. "I made sure no one came the fuck near ya, Jūshirō. What the fuck was it all about, though? You scared the shit out of me!"

"I'm sorry..." Jūshirō mumbled as he held the kitten tighter. "...I-I... I'm sorry for scaring you, but... I can't talk about it just yet..."

Grimmjow wasn't happy with his reply but didn't force the younger man. He instead gestured over to the kitchen counter where the plastic bags were sitting. "I put all the shit on the bench for ya."

"T-thanks..." Jūshirō made his way over to the bags, hoping to distract himself from what had just happened. Grimmjow was calm the rest of the way, not bothering him with any of his games and instead stayed fairly quiet, leaving Jūshirō to relax himself.


	5. Chapter 5

**This would have been up previously, but our internet has been down. Chapter six is already written and shall be uploaded within a day or two. Also, bad news; school starts back tomorrow... Year Twelve. Last year. I promised someone important to me that no matter how much I hate school, I'll do my best just because they mean so much to me and asked me to make this year matter, so if my updates start to dwindle, I haven't forgotten; I've just been trying to make good of my promise.**

A week had gone by, and Jūshirō wasn't sure how much more of Grimmjow he could take. He was too scared to say a word to the demon, but he hated feeling like he was just an object to the older male. He was standing by the stove, trying to cook dinner for the night, and the demon continuously moved up behind him and licked his neck in a sensual manner.

"What'cha makin', Jūshirō?" Grimmjow asked as he ran his hands up and down his sides. "Will it be delicious like you are?"

Jūshirō shivered and closed his eyes. "...R-ramen..."

Grimmjow tutted as he moved closer until Jūshirō was pressing against his front. "You're much tastier than that. C'mon, baby, just one round?"

Jūshirō choked on a whimper as the demon ground his hips into his backside. He knew he should be used to the treatment by now but every time it upset him; he had just never felt comfortable enough explaining why to Grimmjow.

Grimmjow laughed and moved away. "Every fuckin' time ya act as if I'm gonna rape ya. You should know I'm not gonna do that. Calm the fuck down."

Jūshirō kept his head low as he focused on the ramen in the pot. He did his best to ignore the male wandering around behind him. When at last he pulled out two bowls and served the ramen, he was just relieved to know that Grimmjow had accepted it without argument and moved to the couch so that he could watch the TV.

Jūshirō himself sat at the dining table, eating slowly. He didn't know why Grimmjow was still here, but he knew he had to do _something;_ the stress was killing him. He decided he would eat first and then ask Grimmjow what was going on.

Grimmjow had already finished his food long ago and was laughing as some guy on the television got chopped in half by the killer. He turned his head slightly in acknowledgement as Jūshirō sat beside him but didn't say anything.

Jūshirō shivered and tried not to look at the TV; he had never liked slasher films. They made him uneasy to no end.

"Grimmjow...?" Jūshirō said quietly, hoping that the demon would shift his attention onto him. He was glad when the blue-haired male hummed in reply and continued talking. "...C-can I ask... why you're still here...?"

Grimmjow turned and stared at him incredulously. "The fuck are ya on about? I already told ya; you're my mate and I ain't leaving."

"...I-I don't want a relationship, though..." Jūshirō whispered. "...Please... You'll be happier with someone else, I know..."

"You _don't_ fucking know that!" Grimmjow growled. He reached out and grabbed Jūshirō's shoulders. "Look; I don't know why the fuck you act like I'm going to rape you any second, but you know I'm not going to do that. You're my mate and I have to take care of you. It's that fuckin' simple."

"...I'm mentally unable to _have _a relationship..." Jūshirō whispered, just desperate to make the other understand that what he wanted could never happen. "...I-I can't..."

"Who the fuck told you _that _load of bullshit?" Grimmjow asked with a raised eyebrow. "Whoever told you you can't have a relationship is wrong. You've put up with me and my games, right? If you _couldn't _have a relationship, you'd have had a mental breakdown or some shit. Ya just need some help gettin' there. I'm not gonna leave when I could help you become comfortable with a relationship between us."

Jūshirō put his face in his hands. His shoulders quivered and his voice wavered as he spoke. "...Y-you'll never want me when you find out about my last relationship... You'll think I'm filthy, or a whore or something..."

"Why the _fuck _would I think that about ya?" Grimmjow couldn't help but be stern. "I'm well aware that I don't fucking know _anything, _but I _know _you aren't filthy, and you certainly aren't a _whore."_

"...The town seems to disagree..." Jūshirō whispered.

"You're going to tell me what the _fuck _happened to make you like this, Jūshirō." Grimmjow growled. "_Tell me."_

"I-I can't...!" Jūshirō said, letting a tear slide down his cheek. "...I-I can't..."

"Yes, you _can. _If someone hurt you, I'll kill them."

"Please, I promise I'll tell you one day, but I can't talk about it without... without _remembering, _Grimmjow...! It... It hurts too much!"

Grimmjow sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn't understand what Jūshirō was experiencing, but he knew better than to push him; he had seen what happens when Ukitake was pushed beyond his limit several times, and he _hated_ the breakdowns Jūshirō had.

"Fine," Grimmjow said, turning back to his show. "But I'll keep you to your promise. I mean it."

"I know..." Jūshirō was hurting, that much was obvious. All he wanted was comfort, but Shunsui wasn't here to give it to him. He moved closer to Grimmjow and curled around his arm, resting his head on the elder's shoulder. Despite the advances the demon made constantly, Jūshirō knew, deep down, that said demon would never hurt him.

Grimmjow had never been one for all that sentimental bullshit, so he didn't do anything other than let Jūshirō cling to him. He wondered about what had happened to do this to the younger, but before he could think too much on it, the kitten Jūshirō had adopted jumped onto his lap and rubbed against him, purring.

"The fuck do ya want, cat?" Grimmjow said as he scratched the fluffball's chin with one finger. "I ain't got nothin' for ya. Piss off."

Jūshirō couldn't help but smile despite his distress; no matter how hard a front Grimmjow put on about the kitten, it was clear that the demon was attached to it if all the pets and hugs the man gave it when he thought no one was watching were anything to go by.

**-XX-**

The next morning found Jūshirō waking up to an incoming text on his phone. He yawned and grabbed the device, looking at the time before he opened the message. It was seven past six, much earlier than he would have liked to wake up to; he didn't usually get up until about nine. Shunsui was much the same, and he would have slept all day if he could, so if he were up this early, something must have happened.

_I had a bad dream about you, _the text read. _Are you okay?_

Jūshirō rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he started to reply back. _I am. I feel very sick at the moment, but I am fine._

The reply came through seconds later. _Good. Come over today if you can._

Jūshirō typed back a quick yes before he set the phone back down on the bedside table and tried to go back to sleep. His hopes for more sleep were vanquished when Grimmjow pushed the door open and stepped in.

"Why the hell are you up so early?" Grimmjow asked.

Jūshirō glanced up at him and mumbled, "Phone was going off..."

"I could hear that. You 'kay?"

The pale man coughed before he shook his head. "My chest is tightening again..."

Grimmjow sighed. "Roll over."

"Huh?"

"Roll over. I'll massage your back for you."

Jūshirō tensed at these words. "I-I'm fine... I don't need it..."

"You do." Grimmjow didn't wait for an invitation and made his way over to the younger male. He forcibly rolled Jūshirō over despite the protests and sat on him, pinning him to the bed.

"Please, don't..." Jūshirō whimpered, his voice thick with fear; it was as if he thought the demon was going to do something much worse than a back rub.

"Relax." Grimmjow said as he started kneading at Jūshirō's back. It was so full of tension, he was surprised the human didn't have back problems. When at last Ukitake started to calm down minutes later, he smiled. "See? Nothin' bad happening. Feels good, huh?"

Jūshirō nodded. "It... does..."

"Take your shirt off," Grimmjow instructed out of the purest of intentions.

"W-what?!" Jūshirō gasped, tense once again.

Grimmjow started to lift the man's shirt, only to have his hand slapped away and the shirt yanked back down. He sighed. "Jūshirō, it will only feel better to have skin-on-skin contact."

Jūshirō's body trembled. "...P-please... T-this is fine... I-I don't need you to s-s-see my body..."

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow. Jūshirō certainly was hiding a lot, wasn't he? He sighed. "Alright."

With that said, Grimmjow continued his ministrations and, ten minutes later, was surprised to find the human fast asleep once again. Taking this chance, Grimmjow ever so slowly lifted the sleeping shirt, doing his best not to wake the human.

"Shit..." Grimmjow mumbled as he saw what Jūshirō was hiding. Scars crisscrossed the flesh in long deep strokes, and smaller, deeper ones littered random areas. "No wonder... you didn't want me to see..."

Pulling the shirt back down, Grimmjow stood from the bed and moved back to the doorway, leaving the sleeping male in peace. His mind was full of thoughts about the scars he had just seen, and he couldn't help but feel angry at himself for making Jūshirō feel as if the human couldn't confide in him about what was so clearly killing him inside slowly.


	6. Chapter 6

Grimmjow wasn't happy about being dragged along to Jūshirō's best friend's home, but what choice did he have? What if the brunet had been the one to inflict that damage on Ukitake? He couldn't take that chance; he couldn't let Jūshirō be hurt like that again. It was his duty as Jūshirō's mate – as his _protector _– to make sure that nothing happened to him.

"Please, d-don't be..." Jūshirō fumbled with his words, clearly uneasy about asking whatever this was of the demon. "...Please, don't... p-_play _with me... or swear..."

"Why the fuck not?" Grimmjow crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance.

"...B-because he has a child..." Jūshirō whispered.

"Ah." Grimmjow shrugged. "How old?"

"S-sixteen..."

Grimmjow snorted. "Old enough to know about sex and to hear cussing."

Jūshirō shook his head. "You don't understand how protective he is of her..."

"How old is he?" Grimmjow asked. "I figure you two grew up together. You look too young to have a sixteen year old if he's the same age."

"I'm twenty-eight..." Jūshirō mumbled. "He's thirty-two..."

"Wow, he's been fucking since he's young." Grimmjow laughed as he did the math.

Jūshirō frowned; it depressed him to know that for once, Grimmjow was actually _right _about something.

It didn't take much longer for them to get to Shunsui's home. When they arrived, Jūshirō pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. He stepped in, followed by Grimmjow.

"Shun?" Jūshirō called as he walked further into the house. "Shun, I'm here."

"In the kitchen!" came the older male's reply.

Grimmjow could see by looking around that Shunsui and his family must have a lot of money. Their home alone looked as if it must have been expensive, judging by the beautiful layout of the front room. They had a large plasma TV tucked away in front of the window and their furniture was the best money could buy. Comparing this room alone to Jūshirō's entire house made him wonder how easily Ukitake was getting along.

"Hi, Shun." Jūshirō's voice snapped the demon out of his thoughts. "How are you?"

Grimmjow glanced at the two females sitting at the dining table next to the brunet. They both had raven hair and wore glasses. The older one, which Grimmjow assumed to be the mother, had ponytails while the daughter had her hair clipped back.

"Who's your friend, Jūshirō?" The mother asked, looking curiously at the demon. She put down the magazine she had been flipping through and stood up, moving closer to observe him. "A new lover?"

Shunsui didn't hide his distaste of Grimmjow and waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "Juu-chan can do better, Lisa-chan."

Grimmjow pretended not to hear that comment, knowing that he would upset Jūshirō if he acted out. He wanted to prove to the human that he was someone who could be trusted, having decided that after seeing the scars last night.

"Lisa-san, Nanao-kun..." Jūshirō gathered the two females' attention. "...This is Grimmjow. He's... staying with me for a while..."

The mother – Lisa, Grimmjow had learnt – grabbed Jūshirō by the hand and pulled him away without a word. Nanao followed them, leaving Grimmjow and Shunsui alone.

"Where are they takin' him?" Grimmjow asked.

Shunsui laughed. "My Lisa-chan is very curious; she'll be wanting to know everything about you and your stay."

"Good. Because I have questions of my own for you." Grimmjow moved to sit on the chair Lisa had just left, staring at Shunsui. "His back. I want to know what happened to it."

Shunsui's face twisted into a pained expression. "...He showed you..."

"No. I tried lifting his shirt and he wouldn't let me. When he fell asleep ten minutes later, I lifted it and I saw."

Shunsui sighed and glanced down at his lap. "...Has he told you anything at all...?"

"Nothing except that the town thinks he's a filthy whore."

"I don't think I should tell you..." Shunsui said. "I mean... I-it's something _I _would hate my best friend for telling people about..."

"He's never going to tell me himself; I can work that much out." Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "Go and ask if you can tell me because I want to know _everything."_

Shunsui stood up with hesitation and moved in the direction Jūshirō had disappeared in. Grimmjow waited patiently and, when the brunet returned, was glad to hear that Kyōraku had permission to talk.

"I don't know where to start..." Shunsui said softly. "...Let's move into the living room; it's more comfortable."

Grimmjow nodded and stood up, following the brunet. Once they were seated on separate couches, Shunsui's face took on a thoughtful expression.

"...You know Juu-chan and I have been best friends for many years," Shunsui said. "Our families were close with each other since before we were born, so we grew up together. ...I'd already had Nanao-chan by the time I started helping Juu-chan date. He was only just starting to become interested in having a partner, so I spoke to our friend, Rangiku. I knew her own partner had a good friend that was single, so I thought it would be a good idea to introduce them to each other."

"How old was Jūshirō?" Grimmjow asked.

"About seventeen or so. Gin – Rangiku's partner – was close with a university lecturer. I ignored the significant age difference and instead organised for Gin to invite his friend over when Juu-chan and I were free."

"And how old was_ he?"_

About twenty-eight. ...They hit it off straight away. Sōsuke – the man Juu had been dating – was good to him. He took him out all the time, bought him anything Juu asked for, and never rushed him into anything he wasn't ready for. ...I remember... on Juu's eighteenth birthday, he came to me, happy beyond belief, telling me that he and Sōsuke had made love for the first time. ...I was honestly happy for him, and even happier when I heard they were going to move in together..."

Grimmjow clenched his fists. "So I was right in assuming he was in an abusive relationship?"

Shunsui nodded. "Worse than you could possibly have imagined. Juu was still happy for a few months, but then... he started withdrawing... I should have noticed something was wrong when he started growing out his hair, but I believed him when he assured me that everything was fine with him and Sōsuke... You know he only grew his hair out because he was hiding bruises from strangulation? Then it turned into an obsession and he had to grow it as long as he could just to feel safe."

"That's disgusting..." Grimmjow muttered.

"He was pulling away so badly, the only times I could see him where when I'd show up to his home without prior warning so he couldn't leave and avoid me. He had bruises, but he told me they were from his martial arts lessons. Sōsuke... was always so good to him... I was so stupid to not notice the way Juu-chan would flinch and tense around him..."

"How'd you find out what was happening?" Grimmjow questioned, not sure if he wanted to hear it or not.

"Before I tell you, Juu desperately wants you to not hate him or think badly of him," Shunsui said, the pain obvious in his voice. "None of it was his fault; he was too scared to say anything so it kept happening."

"Nothing you can tell me is going to change my fucking mind," Grimmjow said in sincerity.

"..." Shunsui sighed and wiped at his eyes, gathering the stray tears that were running down his cheeks. "...I showed up to his home, uninvited as usual, and found that the door was open when no one was answering my knocks. ...I pushed the front door open and walked in, and the first thing I heard was Juu... crying out for help..."

Grimmjow tensed, awaiting the worst.

"...I walked into the bedroom, and the first thing I see... is the video camera aimed towards the bed, filming... Sōsuke was on it, _forcing _Jūshirō..."

Grimmjow snarled. "That sick _fuck...!"_

"I called the cops," Shunsui continued on, his voice becoming weaker and weaker. "...They took Jūshirō in to make a statement... He was literally too damaged to say a word, so I had to sit with him throughout the entire thing. I found that... within two years of them being together... Sōsuke had abused Juu-chan, tortured him by cutting him, raped him every day, and forced him to masturbate – all so he could record it and make money off it. Juu was nothing but sadistic pleasure and a way to make money."

"So that's why he's always so timid?"

Shunsui nodded. "But Aizen Sōsuke was a name _everyone _knew, so it got out within hours... People searched for the videos, downloaded them, watched them, told other people and, eventually, the entire town knew about what had happened, and more than half of them had seen the videos... But despite all the evidence, the cops just couldn't do anything – Sōsuke was too powerful... So he got off, and Juu never got the justice he deserved..."

Grimmjow shook his head. "I'll remember that name, and if I ever come across him, I'll make _sure _Jūshirō gets his justice."

"Just don't tell him," Shunsui said. "Jūshirō doesn't like fighting, and he would be upset to know someone got hurt on his account – even _him. _Can you understand why I was so protective of him when we first met?"

Grimmjow nodded. "I understand. I'd never hurt him like that, though. He's... important to me."

"He's important to me, too. I had to take care of him after the statement was made. I personally went to the house and got his things. He has this box he keeps underneath his bed. It's got the porn magazines I bought for him before he met Sōsuke and some other little things. I thought he should keep them so that one day when he gets better, he can look at them and feel _normal _again."

"I found that box. He didn't like me going through it."

"He didn't want it to begin with, after I helped him get a house."

Grimmjow nodded. "Don't worry; I'm going to take care of him. I'll never let him get hurt like that again. I'll help him look at that porn again one day."

"Thank you." Shunsui rubbed his wet eyes. "It means everything to me to know that someone still accepts him after that; he lost everyone because he couldn't stop something out of his control."

"Well, I'm not like that." Grimmjow said. "And I'll kill anyone who gives him a hard time over it."

"Thanks. I need to take Nanao-chan down to the library so I'm going to grab her and say bye to Juu. Thank you for understanding."

Grimmjow shrugged and followed Shunsui down to one of the bedrooms at the back of the house. He waited for Shunsui to hug Jūshirō goodbye before he wrapped his arm around the younger's shoulder and lead him out of the house.

"Let's go home, Jūshirō," Grimmjow said.

Jūshirō just stared at the blue-haired demon with unreadable eyes. They watered slightly before he blinked the tears away. Minutes had passed in silence before he found the courage to speak.

"...You're one of the few who don't treat me like a disease after hearing what happened..."

Grimmjow shrugged. "Wasn't your fault; was that sick bastard's. Besides; you're my mate, Jūshirō. I'll wash away every last scar he inflicted on you, physical or mental."

Jūshirō looked at the ground as he hugged himself, a small smile crossing his face. He didn't know why, but he could trust in Grimmjow's words.

_**Several hours later~~**_

"Hey, Grimmjow...?"

Grimmjow tilted his head backwards, looking upside down at Jūshirō. "Yes?"

Jūshirō moved from behind the couch so that he was sitting next to the demon. He looked unsure as he glanced down at his lap, trying to think of what to say. "...When... When Shun told you... w-what made you stay with me...?"

"What would have made me_ not _stay with you?" Grimmjow questioned, disbelief in his voice. "The fuck could have made you think I'd have left you just because you couldn't stop some fuck-face from abusing you? Wasn't _your_ fault. Anyone who can't see that are fuck-tards and aren't worthy of your time."

Jūshirō smiled down at his lap, a single tear running down his cheek. "...T-thank you... My friends... wanted me to find someone else... M-may I... agree to your offer, now...?"

Grimmjow nodded, grinning. He reached out and pulled the human onto his lap. "If I knew it were that fucking easy to make you say yes, I'd have hunted your fucking friend down sooner and made him tell me everything."

Jūshirō snuggled in close, for the first time in eight years feeling safe in the arms of someone other than Shunsui. He let a few tears run down his cheeks, knowing that he may not feel completely safe with Grimmjow just yet but that he soon would. He knew the demon would never hurt him like _Aizen _had.

Grimmjow didn't say anything as Jūshirō cried into him. He understood that Ukitake had suffered more than he could understand and the human would appreciate just being held.

"One day..." Jūshirō said through his tears, looking up to smile at the blue-haired male, "...One day, I'll let you make love with me..."

Grimmjow put on his sexiest smirk and held the younger tighter. "Is that so, Jūshirō? Well, I'll look forward to that day."

Jushiro nodded. "...Me, too..."

"You should sleep." Grimmjow moved his arm so that Ukitake could rest his head on his lap. "You've been crying all day."

Jushiro smiled as he moved to lay his head on the lap that had been presented to him. Suddenly, the fact that this male was a demon seemed insignificant to him; he had already showed more heart to him than most of the people in this town.

Maybe... Jushiro had been wrong to be afraid of the demon, and... maybe... they really were meant to be together...


	7. Chapter 7

**There is a lemon in this chapter. Personally, I'm not proud of it, but there's a little treat next chapter that I think will make up for it :)**

Two weeks had passed, and Jūshirō couldn't have been happier. While he was still a little wary of the fact that Grimmjow was a demon, he had gotten better at putting his trust in the other. They were currently walking down to the river by the edge of town, just wanting a few hours to themselves.

When they had arrived, they immediately got into the water and played happily, splashing and pushing each other under the water, lots of laughs and smiles all around the place. When they left to go back to Ukitake's home later that evening, the demon held the human close, shielding him from all of the judging looks that were sent his way.

For once, Jūshirō found himself being able to smile despite the unwelcoming presence of the other townspeople. He held Grimmjow's shirt tightly, knowing that the demon wouldn't let anyone hurt him. The mutters were easy to ignore, replaced by Grimmjow's confident voice, and the only set of eyes that looked at him and mattered were the demon's.

"When we get home, do you want to...?" Jūshirō blushed and looked away, causing his partner to smirk in understanding.

Grimmjow assaulted the pale neck with licks, sucks and kisses, all the answer that Jūshirō needed. He held the younger tighter as Ukitake mewed deliciously, tilting his neck for more access. He didn't care that people were staring with disgust in their eyes; all that mattered was the fact that Grimmjow was replacing pain with tenderness.

"G-grimmjow...!" Jūshirō's breath hitched as a particularly sensitive spot was sucked on, his pants becoming tighter than they had been. "N-not here..."

Grimmjow smirked as he pulled away. "Deal."

The two hurried back to Jūshirō's home and, once the front door was locked and Grimmjow had pushed Jūshirō onto the bed, clothes were shed and Jūshirō found himself being prepared.

Grimmjow was gentle with the frail man, much gentler than Aizen had ever been with him. The demon took his time in ensuring Jūshirō was comfortable with what was happening and didn't complain if he were asked to stop or slow down.

Currently, Grimmjow was pushing his third finger inside of the human, ignoring the small cry of pain Jūshirō gave. He slipped it in all the way to the knuckle and waited a few seconds for Jūshirō to adjust and then begun to move it. He pushed and scissored at the male's walls, doing his best to stretch him as well as possible.

"Are you liking this, Jūshirō?" Grimmjow asked, feeling as if the younger had been stretched enough. He pulled his fingers out and spat into his hand, lubricating his hard cock.

Jūshirō nodded and gave a small smile. He raised his hips in invitation, knowing that this would be different to the sex he had been used to.

"Grimmjow..." Jūshirō purred, reaching out to pull the demon on top of him. "Grimmjow, I'm ready~"

Grimmjow smirked as he placed his tip at Jūshirō's entrance. With a nod of reassurance from Ukitake, he pushed in. He was slow and gentle, understanding when Jūshirō cried out and gripped his shoulders desperately.

"It's okay." Grimmjow stroked Jūshirō's cheek with his hand, stilling for a few seconds before he pushed in further. "It's alright. It's me, remember?"

Jūshirō's eyes opened and he looked up into Grimmjow's blue ones. The demon could make out the pain and the slight fear in them, but he was determined to continue on and help Jūshirō get over everything that ass-hat had done to him.

"Grimm...jow..." Jūshirō moaned. A single tear slid down his cheek, but he made no move to stop the blue-haired demon. "...Grimm..."

"I know it hurts..." Grimmjow soothed as he buried himself to the hilt. "I know... It'll get better, though; don't forget."

Jūshirō nodded. He took deep breaths, trying to control his fear and pain. He moaned slightly as a warm hand gripped his hard length, focusing instead on the pleasure it was bringing him. When at last he felt he was ready to continue, he murmured to Grimmjow. "...I'm ready..."

Grimmjow nodded. He pulled out halfway before he thrust back in, wanting to fuck the younger hard and fast but knowing he needed to control himself. He hated the small cries of pain and fear Jūshirō made, but he knew he would soon be bringing Jūshirō the ultimate pleasure.

"Just a bit more," Grimmjow whispered into the human's ear. "I'm looking for it; I promise."

"I... I, ugh... know..." Jūshirō whispered back, his nails digging into the strong skin of Grimmjow's shoulders.

Grimmjow thrust a few more times before he found that special spot inside of Jūshirō. Ukitake's cry of pleasure was music to his ears. He continued to aim there, increasing his speed and strength to one that increased both of their pleasure but was not enough to make Jūshirō feel as if he were being forced.

"G-grimmjow!" Jūshirō cried like a mantra, his eyes wide and hazy in pleasure. His toes curled as his thighs quivered uncontrollably, feeling himself becoming closer with every passing second. His breathing was harsh and tears of intense pleasured mixed with pain leaked from his eyes. "Grimmjow, I-I...!"

"Cum for me, Jūshirō," Grimmjow whispered as he increased the pace of his strokes along Jūshirō's hard member. "Cum for me."

"Grimm...jow...!" Jūshirō let out a loud scream as his hips thrust upwards, spurts of his ejaculation spraying everywhere. He came long and hard and, when he felt the demon's seed fill his body, he slumped back against the bed, panting loudly as his sweat-slicked body was too exhausted to do much else.

Grimmjow lay down beside the human and pulled him in close. He smiled as Jūshirō snuggled in against him, burying his face into the demon's chest. "Did you enjoy that?"

Jūshirō nodded. When he spoke, his voice was thick was exhaustion. "...It's... the first time I've... made love... since I left... Sōsuke..."

"I can imagine," Grimmjow whispered. "Eight years... That's a long time to go without sex."

Jūshirō giggled before he replied, on the edge of oblivion. "...Maybe... for some..."

The demon laughed before he tightened his hold on Jūshirō. "Perhaps. Perhaps. I imagine your friend to be one who thinks a day is too long."

"...You're... right..." With that said, Jūshirō was fast asleep.

Grimmjow leant down and kissed Jūshirō's forehead, so happy that this frail little human was his. He was perfect in every way, his figure and personality absolutely beautiful. Even his sickness just made him seem more exquisite.

Yes, his little Jūshirō was Grimmjow's most treasured thing in a long life of hatred and boredom. He was the demon's ticket out of such a dismal life and into something better. Grimmjow knew that from the bottom of his heart.

_**The next day~~**_

Jūshirō sat on the couch with his kitten on his lap, watching the TV with Grimmjow. He hummed happily, having had the best night of his life in so many lonely years of sadness and fear. He laughed softly at the program, smiling as Grimmjow wrapped his arms around him and pulled him closer.

"Enjoying that?" Grimmjow asked, nibbling at the pale neck.

Jūshirō blushed and nodded. "Y-yes..."

Grimmjow grabbed the kitten and put it on the ground before he pulled Jūshirō to lie across his lap. He ran his hands over the fragile body, wanting a repeat of last night.

Jūshirō was willing to let Grimmjow touch him, but he pushed the other away before things could go too far. He smiled shyly up at his lover and shook his head.

"N-not today, Grimmjow... Maybe t-tomorrow, okay?" Jūshirō's voice quivered instinctively, having been beaten or 'punished' for denying sex when he was still with Aizen.

"Okay, but if that's the case, I call getting you off with my hands today." Grimmjow smirked as his hands pulled at the waistband of Jūshirō's pants.

Ukitake blushed and looked away, allowing the ministrations. He closed his eyes and moaned as he was, once again, brought to his release.

Jūshirō couldn't be happier; things were already looking up just by having allowed Grimmjow into his life and knowing deep in his heart that the demon would never hurt him in the ways people already had.

"I love you, Grimmjow." Jūshirō smiled before he leant up and kissed the demon's lips.

Grimmjow just smiled back and nodded, running his hands through the white hair as Jūshirō prepared himself for another sleep.

_Meow._

Grimmjow glanced down at the white kitten staring up at them with bright eyes. He sighed before he scowled at it. "Always have'ta ruin the mood, don't you, you fucking cat...?"

The kitten just stood up and rubbed itself against the demon's leg, purring as it went. Grimmjow couldn't help but scratch it behind its ear – though he would never admit it to Jūshirō.

**A/N There will be more of this fic, though I believe it will be in the final arc.**


	8. Chapter 8

Jūshirō and the demon had been together for three months now, and Jūshirō couldn't have been happier. He had finally come out of his shell, socialising properly with Shunsui's family and the few friends he had left almost as normal as he once had before the Aizen incident.

Though the damage Aizen had inflicted on Jūshirō hadn't disappeared completely, the white-haired male was working hard to move on from it. He was currently sitting on his bed, watching as Grimmjow pulled the dreaded box out from under it. He instinctively shied away when it was opened, but with Grimmjow's comforting voice, he came closer again.

Grimmjow reached in and immediately grabbed the magazines he knew to be porn. He sat on the bed beside Jūshirō, placing them in the human's lap.

"Your friend bought these for you, didn't he?" Grimmjow asked, noticing the way Jūshirō eyed them fearfully.

"Y-yes..." Jūshirō confirmed. "...He bought them for me when I was fifteen..."

"Why so young?" the demon asked.

"..." Jūshirō blushed scarlet as he thought about how to reply to that. "...B-because... his excuse was... he had already lost his virginity by thirteen, and... I-I was too pure..."

Grimmjow smirked knowingly. "He wanted you to jack off?"

Jūshirō's blush was impossibly red as he nodded, and he could have died at the blue-haired male's next question.

"And did you?"

Another nod, this time hesitant. His voice was almost non-existent. "...Y-yes..."

Grimmjow's smirk was devilish now. "Can I watch as you jack off to them?"

Jūshirō coughed loudly, burying his face in Grimmjow's shoulder. He whined loudly, feeling more embarrassed than ever. "...I-I... I-it's a private thing..."

"Not between partners," Grimmjow reassured. "Please?"

Jūshirō nodded after a few seconds, almost reluctant to remove his face from the other's shoulder. He looked down at the magazines in his lap and, with a trembling finger, flipped the cover of the first magazine open. Grimmjow looked down, finding two men engaging in a sixty-nine.

"How did he know to buy you gay porn?" Grimmjow questioned, liking what he was seeing; this was not censored – this was full-on action, expensive and hard to find.

"...I-I..." Jūshirō's cheeks reddened once again. "...I admitted I liked boys to him when I was younger..."

"Oooh. Who was it, Jūshirō?"

"...S-shun..." Jūshirō whispered as he looked away, longing in his voice. "...I... I told him I loved him, but he couldn't return my feelings because he had Lisa-chan. He was understanding about it, though. He promised to find me someone."

"Good friend." Grimmjow moved his lips to Jūshirō's neck and nipped at the exposed skin. "You're mine, though. Only mine. Forever."

Jūshirō moaned, tilting his neck to give his lover more access. He whined in disappointment when the hot lips pulled away.

"Read." Grimmjow tapped the magazines. "Jack off."

Jūshirō nodded. He looked at the pages intensely, sometimes flinching, sometimes cowering, but most of the time Grimmjow could see the lust in the human's eyes and the prominent bulge in the other's pants.

"Jack off," Grimmjow repeated, tugging at the male's pants to emphasise his point. "Take them off and play with yourself."

Jūshirō blushed as he did as he was told, exposing his hard member to Grimmjow's eyes. His hand hesitated before it wrapped tentatively around his hardened flesh, embarrassed and slightly afraid eyes fixated on the demon.

"It's okay," Grimmjow whispered, his eyes focused on the intimate act before him. "I understand. Whatever you're comfortable with."

Jūshirō nodded, stroking his erection a few times as his eyes moved back to the magazine pages. He moaned softly upon seeing a re-enactment of a man riding his partner, his arousal heightening. He had never mentioned it openly to anyone except for Shunsui, but riding was his favourite position to be in and it aroused him more than any other way.

Grimmjow wasn't blind to the way Jūshirō's hand moved faster and harder along himself, his gaze lingering on the one spot of the magazine, his eyes full of lust. The demon licked his lips, moving in to steal a kiss. His own erection was aching, but this was just too delicious to pass up.

"You're so fucking beautiful..." Grimmjow whispered.

Jūshirō closed his eyes and threw his head back, his climax taking him by surprise. Without warning, he released over the magazine, white spurts staining the blankets of his bed. He cried out loudly, pumping faster as he rode out the last of his orgasm.

"How many times have you cum over these magazines?" Grimmjow smirked as he pointed out a very old, faded white spot on the page.

Jūshirō blushed, sending a weak grin towards his lover. "...It... It was my favourite pastime when I was alone..."

Grimmjow laughed loudly. "So I see. Keep going, okay? I want to see how many times you can cum all over your porn."

Jūshirō nodded, stroking himself back to life as he wiped his seed from the magazine. He flipped the page, scrutinising the next sexual act. Needless to say, Jūshirō performed just as Grimmjow had expected; he came about three times before his eyes slipped closed and fell fast asleep, too exhausted to go for another round.

_**Later that day~~**_

While Jūshirō slept soundly, his fluffy white shadow purring softly atop his chest, Grimmjow closed the front door behind him as he moved into the town. He couldn't bear the thought of his sweet little Jūshirō having been hurt in such a cruel manner, and he was determined to get the man justice.

Everyone he questioned knew of Sōsuke Aizen, but none of them seemed willing to mention where he lived. However, Grimmjow didn't need to know locations because, after chasing down a brunet that was heading in Jūshirō's direction, he soon found who he was looking for.

"You're that little whore's new master, aren't you?" The brunet – Aizen – smirked.

Grimmjow moved to punch the man, but the other was fast. He moved out of the way, his smirk never faltering.

"I've seen you with him," Aizen continued on. "Neither of you seem to notice when I'm outside the house watching him. I saw you both today. He's a good performer, isn't he? So lovely when he masturbates. I know many who think that, too. Have you fucked him, yet? He kept fighting me once he realised my true intentions, but back when he so willingly let me have my way, he was a great fuck."

"You sick bastard..." Grimmjow snarled. "You're fucking disgusting. Do you have any idea of what you've _done _to him?"

"Of course I do." Aizen's smirk grew wider. "And I'm _proud _of it."

Grimmjow's eyes grew wide with rage. His hair ruffled as red horns protruded from his skull and a forked tail grew from his backside. His eyes flashed black as they had the first time he had met Jūshirō. He lunged at the other male – but he was soon overwhelmed as a dark, _evil _aura filled the air around him.

Aizen's eyes were no longer brown; they had morphed into black orbs.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N I'm sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but it was a real bitch to write. I promise the next chapter shall be longer :)**

When Jūshirō awoke later that day, he was surprised to find that Grimmjow was gone. He yawned and sat up, holding the kitten against him as he did so.

"Hello, Yuki," Jūshirō whispered to the animal happily. He kissed the furry white forehead of the tiny creature before he put it down on the bed and stood up. "Did you see where Grimmjow went?"

The kitten meowed in response, its tail flicking. Jūshirō laughed. "Okay, Yuki-chan. I'll go and find him."

Jūshirō had walked through the house three times calling for the demon before he acknowledged the fact that Grimmjow wasn't there. He frowned and looked down at his feet, trying to understand why his partner would have left the house; he never went outside unless it was with Ukitake.

Deciding that he would go and find the older male, Jūshirō slipped his shoes on and grabbed his jacket from the couch. He walked out of the house, hoping he could find his lover soon.

_**Twenty minutes later**___

Jūshirō walked with his head down low as he was accustomed to doing so, trying his best to ignore the way he was treated. It was easiest to forget that they were even there when Grimmjow was with him, his strong, confident voice always enough to make the younger male get lost in his soothing presence.

"Hey, whore!"

Jūshirō ducked his head down lower as someone called out to him. He tried to hurry his pace, but someone had run up behind him and grabbed his arm, stopping him. He whimpered and tried to pull away, but their grip was too strong.

"Look at me, damnit!" It was a male that was trying to get Jūshirō's attention.

Ukitake lifted his head slightly, unable to make eye contact. He shivered as tears welled up in his eyes.

"Bitch, your fuck-buddy's going after Aizen," the man said. Jūshirō was confused to hear slight concern in his voice. "Unless you want him dead, go stop him!"

Jūshirō nodded without another word, knowing the severity of the situation; it was an unspoken agreement between he and Shunsui to never talk about the night after the brunet called the cops ever again because of what Aizen had done in revenge. The brunet had waited for Shunsui to come home from his shift at the local bar before he got into the house and bashed both Shunsui and Lisa senseless before he molested their daughter. Shunsui was a good fighter himself – but to have been taken down as easily as Aizen had managed...

"This is not_ good...!" _Jūshirō whimpered to himself as he ran as fast as he could towards Aizen's home. He honestly didn't know where Grimmjow or Sōsuke would be, but it was better to find Aizen and know that he hadn't killed Grimmjow than not find either of them at all.

Ukitake's feet carried him swiftly through the town until, at last, he stumbled upon the powerful aura Jūshirō had come to know as Grimmjow's demonic power. He gasped as he looked at the sight before him; Grimmjow was on the ground, covered in blood and panting heavily as Aizen stood above him, not a single scratch on him.

"Grimmjow!" Jūshirō cried as he ran into the midst of what appeared to have been a very intense fight; the buildings around them had been destroyed and small craters littered what had once been a road. People were on all sides, watching in terrified-curiosity.

"Jūshirō, no!" Grimmjow coughed out, trying to get the other to stay back. "D-don't...!"

Aizen remained motionless until Jūshirō arrived by their side. He smirked and reached out, tangling his hand in the white locks. "Hello, Jūshirō. Long time no see."

"Please..." Jūshirō whispered as tears cascaded down his cheeks. "...Please... D-don't hurt him..."

Aizen's smirk grew impossibly wide. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Because..." Jūshirō choked on a sob. "...Because I... I-I love him..."

Aizen's laugh was cold and cruel. "You've said those words to me many times, Jūshirō. You used to always say them as if they were going to stop me from hurting you. 'No, please stop, Sōsuke! I love you! I love you! Please, don't hurt me again!' Isn't that what you'd say?"

Jūshirō looked down at his face at these words. He knew they were true, and he couldn't deny them. He nodded silently.

Grimmjow watched Jūshirō through half-lidded eyes. He frowned as blood dribbled down his cheek. The liquid gushed down the side of his face as well as leaked from his nostrils and came from his mouth. "Jūshirō..."

"Do you want me to spare him?" Aizen knew exactly how to get to Jūshirō. "You must know by now what I am."

Jūshirō nodded again. "...You're a... demon..." the male whispered. "...I... I didn't realise... until now..."

"Ah, but you're not the only one I fooled," Aizen said softly. "Tell me something, Jūshirō; do you still love me?"

Jūshirō didn't speak, nor did he move for a long time. He knew he still loved Aizen despite everything that had happened, but... H-he had Grimmjow now...

"...Yes..." Jūshirō whispered reluctantly. He ducked his head, knowing that Grimmjow was glaring angrily at him.

Aizen smirked. "I knew it. Do you hear that, Grimmjow? You're not good enough for him. He wants _me."_

Aizen moved immediately to Jūshirō's side and grabbed a lock of white hair. He pulled harshly before he commanded the human to follow him.

Grimmjow could only watch as Jūshirō was taken away from him. He wondered what on earth had possessed Jūshirō to say yes, but the real question was; why had Jūshirō strung _him _along like this... Had he been waiting all this time for Aizen to return to him...? Had he merely used Grimmjow as a substitute...? What... happened...?


	10. Chapter 10

Jūshirō sobbed as he was thrown against the wall in Aizen's home. He winced as a burning ran from his shoulder and down his arm, knowing that he had broken it, but he couldn't complain; Aizen would make it worse if he knew.

"I have to say that I'm surprised you'd throw him away for me," Aizen said, a smirk forming on his face. "You must have really loved the torture I put you through."

"...I..." Jūshirō rubbed at his eyes. "...I didn't do it for you... I knew you'd hurt Grimmjow... I had to protect him..."

Aizen laughed and moved closer to Jūshirō. He reached down, dragging the human up by the hair. "But that failed; I'm sure he hates you now."

Before Jūshirō could say another word, Aizen had dropped his pants and shoved himself into the pale man's mouth without warning. He laughed as the other tried to get away, reaching down to rub his thumb against the younger's cheek.

"Now that I have you back, it will be just like old times. Just like I promised all those years ago, if you try and tell anyone what's going on, I'll do worse than attack Kyōraku and Yadomaru, and I won't just rape their daughter this time."

Tears ran down Jūshirō's cheeks, but he knew better than to argue with Aizen; he knew exactly what he was capable of.

_**Back with Grimmjow~~**_

Grimmjow was beyond pissed. Jūshirō had just left with that demon, leaving _him _there, alone and injured. Wherever Ukitake had gone, he would find the human and make _sure _he knew what he had just done.

"Open the fuckin' door!" Grimmjow shouted as he pounded on the door to Shunsui's home. "Goddamnit, open it!"

It didn't take long for the door to open and Shunsui appear on the other side, an annoyed look on his face. "What?"

Grimmjow pushed past the brunet and kicked the door closed behind him. He glared at the younger male, a black aura wafting from him.

Shunsui wasn't fazed in the least; he had never told Jūshirō, not wanting to cause more distress to his best friend, but he knew that Aizen was a demon, the male revealing it to him during one of their many confrontations during the years. He knew that Grimmjow couldn't possibly be as bad as Aizen.

"Why didn't you_ tell _me he still loved that piece of shit?" Grimmjow snarled.

Shunsui started at these words; they weren't what he had expected to hear at all. Could this mean...?

"Did Aizen come back?" Shunsui's tone conveyed his concern, his grey eyes displaying worry.

"Fuckin' yes!" Grimmjow shouted as he threw his arms up in the air. "He attacked me and then Jūshirō went back with him saying he still loved him!"

Shunsui bit his lip as he glanced behind him. He was silent for a few seconds before he started heading further into the house, calling over his shoulder that he would be back.

Grimmjow waited impatiently for a few minutes, but Shunsui returned soon enough, slipping something into his pocket. "What's that?"

"Nothing," Shunsui muttered as he walked past the demon. "Let's go."

Grimmjow didn't question Shunsui, knowing that the brunet was going after his friend. He didn't know Shunsui on a personal level, but he knew enough to know that the two males loved each other very much. He wondered how the brunet was going to rescue his friend, but he supposed he should tag along, too – just in case Jūshirō _had _betrayed him.

_**~~At Aizen's home~~**_

Jūshirō was curled up on Aizen's bed, covered in blood and other bodily fluids. He cried, feeling as weak and helpless as he did all those years ago. He didn't know where Aizen had disappeared off to, but he didn't care – he was in so much pain, he just wanted to die.

Ukitake felt as if his backside had been ripped to pieces, his broken arm was throbbing, his stomach had been cut open and blood was flowing freely from it but, most of all, his heart hurt. He knew what he had done was wrong and that he had hurt Grimmjow, but he had just wanted to protect him. He wouldn't blame Grimmjow if the demon hated him and left – he, too, would feel betrayed.

The injured human tried to go to sleep, hoping that by the time he woke up, the pain would recede, but he couldn't; he was too stressed, too injured. He winced as he moved, trying to get more comfortable, but it only caused more pain to befall him.

After what felt like hours of crying, Jūshirō just wanted Aizen to come back and put an end to his misery. However, shouting from the downstairs area of the house quickly grabbed Jūshirō's attention – he knew those voices. So Grimmjow _did _come back for him...? And he brought Shunsui, too...?

Jūshirō wasn't sure whether he should be happy or scared that Shunsui was here; what if his best friend got hurt trying to rescue him? Listening carefully, he could make out Aizen's calm, cocky voice taunting the two.

"You think you can save him?" Aizen didn't sound fazed in the least; he sounded like he was enjoying this situation. "He hates you both. Why do you think he came with me?"

Shunsui's voice was too low to hear, but Jūshirō knew him well enough to know that the brunet wouldn't have bought a word Aizen said.

There was silence for a few seconds before a loud bang startled Jūshirō enough to make him jump. He whined loudly and grabbed the pillow, pulling it over his head in an attempt to drown out the noise. He heard loud shouts and pained cries coming from both Shunsui and Grimmjow, and he started to cry harder than before, knowing that the two were getting themselves hurt because of _him. _

Why couldn't they just leave? Jūshirō wasn't worth it, the younger male knew. He knew that they should just let him die and go on with their lives – so why weren't they? Why were they going to get themselves _killed _just to try and help him...?

Jūshirō became so lost in his thoughts, he was startled back into reality with a loud scream when he felt someone put their hand on his shoulder. His eyes widened and he instinctively tried to scoot backwards, but his injuries only made him double over in agony as blood dribbled down his chin.

Jūshirō's green eyes met Shunsui's grey ones, and he couldn't help but cry harder; Shunsui was covered in blood, his clothing ripped and large cuts all over his face. Grimmjow was standing behind him, looking the same, but he didn't have as much blood staining his body.

"Jūshirō, let's get out of here, okay?" Shunsui said softly as he carefully scooped his arms underneath the frail body. He winced when Jūshirō let out a choked cry, but he pulled the younger to his chest and held him tightly, knowing he had to get his friend help immediately.

"...W-wha..." Jūshirō struggled to talk, the pain just too much for him. "...A-aiz..."

"What happened to him?" Shunsui asked as he and Grimmjow ran out of the building. He frowned when Jūshirō nodded. He didn't want to tell the younger the truth, but he knew that Jūshirō needed to hear it. "...He was a demon, Juu... I splashed him with holy water and then cut off his head... He's dead..."

Jūshirō couldn't help but curl into Shunsui's body as he cried. He didn't know _why _he was crying; all he knew was that he was. Shunsui's arms tightened around him protectively as Grimmjow remained quiet, still trying to take in what had happened.

So Ukitake had only been trying to protect him after all...? Grimmjow found it hard to believe but, after learning about Jūshirō, it wasn't at all unlikely. In fact, it was very probable; the man was selfless.

With a sigh, Grimmjow remained behind Shunsui as he followed the brunet to what he presumed was a hospital.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N I'm saddened to say that this is the last chapter of this fic. I figured it would be a perfect way to end it like this. Thanks to all who enjoyed this fic; it's been a very fun ride :)**

Grimmjow had never been in a hospital before, and it was safe to say he never wanted to be in another one again. He was sitting by Jūshirō's hospital bed, holding the pale hand as the nurse checked on the staples holding Ukitake's stomach together.

"Does it hurt?" The demon asked his lover, squeezing the hand in his.

Jūshirō shook his head. "It just feels weird, but it doesn't hurt. Uncomfortable."

Grimmjow frowned, feeling as if this situation was his fault; he should have been able to protect Jūshirō but, instead, he had allowed the human to run off with someone who nearly got him killed. He leant over and kissed the pale forehead, not caring that the nurse winced away in disgust or that Shunsui had to look away as his face paled; all that mattered was being here with Jūshirō.

Jūshirō, for his part, frowned and looked down, upset by the negative attention around him; it made him feel as if he was every bit as disgusting as Aizen had made him out to be.

Grimmjow noticed this and pulled Jūshirō closer to him. He glared at the nurse, causing her to leave the room with uttered apologies. Shunsui, however, wasn't intimidated in the least.

"I'm not against Juu's life choices," the brunet started, a warning tone in his voice, "but that doesn't mean I'm comfortable witnessing it."

Grimmjow just shrugged and leant down, kissing pale lips next just to spite Kyōraku. Jūshirō blushed and pushed away, sending a nervous glance in his best friend's direction. It upset the younger to see the way Shunsui stared pointedly out of the window, shifting uneasily in his chair, but he knew that the brunet was doing his best to approve of Jūshirō's orientation and support him.

"S-shunsui, we..." Jūshirō blushed as he looked down at his lap, not wanting the older male to be uncomfortable around him. "...We won't do it if you're uneasy about it..."

Shunsui waved his hand in a dismissive manner, swallowing the lump in his throat as he replied. "It's okay, Juu. I understand. I won't stop you."

Jūshirō smiled, reaching up to rub his thumb against Grimmjow's cheek. He looked into the baby blue eyes, trying to convey his love without words.

Grimmjow understand and moved closer before he engulfed Jūshirō's mouth in a passionate kiss. He was careful not to hurt his lover, knowing that the injuries he had received had been horrible. The white-haired male's stomach had been torn open and his arm broken, and his rectum had been stitched up, having been ripped apart.

"I fuckin' love ya, Jūshirō..." Grimmjow whispered after he pulled away, giving his partner a chance to catch his breath.

"I love you, too, Grimmjow..." Jūshirō whispered back. He moved over and snuggled in against Grimmjow, resting his head against the demon's chest. He sighed happily as arms engulfed him, just glad that he had someone to love him and heal the damage that had been inflicted upon him.

As Shunsui watched the two, fighting his uneasiness, he couldn't help but know that he had been wrong all along about Grimmjow. The blue-haired male may have been a demon, but he had more heart than any of the humans in this town. When Jūshirō had been cast aside, labelled as a whore that didn't have human emotions, Grimmjow had looked past everything that had been done to Ukitake and instead let him into his heart, eventually giving all of him to the human.

Maybe Grimmjow was rough around the edges, and maybe he would never be able to get over his distrust towards the demon, but he knew, just from watching the way the two kissed and held each other, that the demon would _always _love Jūshirō and be there for him.


End file.
